The Ten Year War
by Jet556
Summary: Long before the fall of Thundera there was a war. A war that would end tragically for the winning side. When King Starlion of Thundera stole a sacred shamanistic totem from the Evabon he started a war that brought Evabon from all over Third earth to fight against Thundera. Neither side would give up and so this is the story of a war that echoed through time.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome, everyone. This story takes place before the fall of Thundera and will feature an entire new cast of characters as well as a few familiar ones. This story will be twenty-four chapters long. Enjoy and review.**

**The Totem of the Mother**

There was a totem that would become burned into the pages of history of Thundera and the Evabon in letters of fire. It was this totem that brought an army of Evabon, one thousand strong to great Thundera. It was this totem that plunged the world into conflict. It was the sin, the theft of this totem that inspired one of the greatest "treacheries" Third Earth would ever know

This is the sweeping saga of how the legions of the Evabon fought against the vastness of impregnable Thundera and began when Starlion, King of Thundera, had stolen the Totem of the Mother, which is scared to Evabon shamans. These mighty events would forever echo across the corridors of time.

This is the story of the war council of the Evabon leaders: Heroes and War Veterans. Among them were the invulnerable Arjuna, wily Obatala, "treacherous" Antaboga and his brother the "jealous" Maromak.

It is during these ten years that Claudus fought the battle of the cestus against great Amma. It was during these ten years that ceremonies of Beauty and Architecture where held amongst the Evabon as well as revels of Ecstasy.

The part of this tale that is most well known to Evabon and Thunderan alike is the "cruel" defeat of Starlion at the hands of Arjuna on the plains of Thundera. This was followed by the strange vengeance of Claudus.

The part of this tell that is as equally as well known to Evabon alike is the "monstrous" Thunderan Mount and its "cargo of destruction." Through all of this was much death and out of it the greatest tragedy of Third Earth.

These storied wonders, gloried moments of might and majesty all happened. Thirty-five years before the fall of Thundera and it was at this time that Claudus became king. It was this war that was fought to bring back the sacred Totem of the Mother.


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back everyone. This story will be darker than my previous ones, if you haven't already guessed by the rating. Enjoy and review.**

**Leona of Thundera**

Leona was bertrothed to Claudus. She had a low opinion of her future father-in-law, the King Starlion. His sudden theft of the Totem of the Mother did not impress her. Indeed there were quite a few that were not impressed, the cleric Jaga being one of them. One who was impressed however was Claudus, her husband-to-be. The Totem was beautiful and was believed by those who were impressed by Starlion's theft of it, to have been of Thunderan design. After all, the Evabon were barbarians and savages! They could not create something such as this.

She stared at it. Stared at it with her kind eyes. If the Totem of the mother were to remain here in Thundera, no doubt the Evabon would show no relent in trying to get it back. Leona knew them to be a proud race and that the theft of something sacred to their shamans and entire race would enrage the warriors, the leaders, the shamans… Starlion had brought down the wrath of an entire race.

Many nobles were crowded around the totem to get a good look at it. They were enchanted by its' beauty, such wonder showing a woman made from the very earth itself!

"It should not be here." Leona's comment caused Claudus to look confused. Why would a Thunderan say such a thing?

"The Evabon stole it from us, we just stole it back." Claudus stared over at the totem. He had a low opinion of the Evabon, everyone did. Why shouldn't it have been stolen back from them?

The fact was that the Totem of the Mother had been created by the Evabon five hundred years before Thundera had even been founded. The Mother was an elemental spirit from Evabon lore, a personification of the earth itself.

It would only be matter of time before the siege began.


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome back everyone. I'm going to try hard and show both sides as being morally grey in this story. The only character that will qualify as a villain is Claudus. Enjoy and review.**

**War Council of the Evabon**

To the Evabon, the theft of a totem or any other shamanistic artifact is an act of war. So naturally, the very theft of something that had cultural importance to them would cause the most notable of the Evabon heroes and war veterans to meet.

There was Arjuna, a young Evabon of twenty-five, golden skinned and haired with brown eyes. There seemed to be a certain newness to him despite his age. He had been in battles and felt weaponry hit him but he had no scars, no missing body parts no injuries: he was invulnerable. His mother was a shaman whose husband had died young, not even living to see their son and so she made Arjuna invulnerable and indeed he was. But with his invulnerability came a personality that was both prideful and wrathful. It would be his pride that would result in the death of one very close to him and his wrath that would not only result in his own death but the ascension of Claudus. Arjuna was both respected and feared by all on Third Earth but when it came to his those he was fighting against, there was more fear than respect. Arjuna was a father but unmarried due to the circumstances of his son's birth. His son was newborn and Arjuna was proud to be a father.

Then there was Maromak, Chieftain of the Traps clan from which the Totem of the Mother was stolen. Maromak was thirty-three years old, grey-skinned, black haired and blue eyed, a descendant of Gard and Balor's maternal grandfather. Maromak was a quiet person, unimposing and not arrogant like his elder brother. Although he had a stout heart he was not the mightiest of Evabon warriors and his main reason for coming to this war council was that it was his clan that the Totem of the Mother was stolen from. One would expect that Maromak would be the one to lead the campaign but in fact it would not be him, this husband and father of two would not be leading any army.

The one who would lead the campaign was Maromak's elder brother by ten years, Antaboga, the Chieftain of the Cerg clan. Antaboga was prideful person but also a faithful person. He was loved by his son and two daughters but his wife believed him unfaithful because of how prideful he was but this was far from the truth. Antaboga was quite the opposite of Maromak. He was loud, imposing, arrogant due to his pride, had a stout heart and was indeed a mighty warrior. The reason why he became the leader of the campaign was that he brought the most warriors.

The Evabon who would be responsible for the return of the Totem of the Mother was the wily Obatala. Obatala was the Chieftain of the Cathi clan, which was the furthest from Thundera, all the way out on an island in the white sea! He was one of the youngest of the leaders, about twenty-four years old. He was brown skinned with hair of the same color with a beard and mustache and eyes black as coal. He was an archer and a good one too! He could hit a target that was so far away that it would have only been a dot. He himself was a husband as well and father to an infant son, a family that he did not want to leave but felt that he should help his brother-in-law Maromak and so would join the war. Obatala would come to be respected by the Thunderans during the war for his cunning and tactical skills but by the time of Thundera's fall Obatala, like all of the Evabon who fought to get the Totem of the Mother back, would come to have been portrayed as a villain in Thunderan art.

There was a third descendant of Gard. His name was Daksha and he was the Chieftain of the Sogra clan and quite young for one of that clan's leaders: only thirty-six. Daksha was bold, impetuous, courageous and as great a warrior as Arjuna. Daksha was not married, had no children and joined the war because if he were to die there would be no one to mourn him.

The great Amma was thirty-four years old. With gold skin and brown hair with and beard and mustache and black eyes, Amma's appearance was quite strange. His height was close to ten feet. He was no chieftain but just a warrior of great reputation but flawed by his pride and individualism, which were also his best assets.

Pangu was Arjuna's cousin by one year. Like Amma and his cousin he wasn't a leader just a warrior, in this case he was just tagging along with his elder cousin. He fought just like Arjuna and was as skilled a warrior but there was a problem: Pangu wasn't invulnerable.

The last was old Ninigi, veteran of the previous Thunderan war that had been a challenge from the King of Thundera at the time. At fifty-three years of age, Ninigi was the Chieftain of the Sylop clan that was fairly close to Thundera. He was a husband and a father as well, a tired looking person whom had met Gard once. From that meeting Ninigi had been advised to not trust anyone of Thundera. He was red skinned, black eyed, fair-haired clean faced and very tired, wondering if this would be his last war.

These Evabon met in the Valley of the Tombs. Since time immemorial this was where councils of war and meetings of peace were held. They sat before the statue of Antaeus and so they discussed what to do.

"We are one thousand strong!" Antaboga stood as he spoke. "We can take Thundera and get back the Totem of the Mother in a fortnight."

"No." Ninigi was against this. He knew what to do. "We must start with every Thunderan town and village! It is from there those that the capital will get their reinforcements"

"Ninigi, with all due respect for a veteran of the first Evabon-Thunderan war there are three of us with newborn sons! There are so many Thunderan settlements that it could take years before we ever get to the capital." Maromak gestured to Arjuna and Obatala. Obatala nodded in agreement while Arjuna showed no interest in what Maromak was saying.

"This is the only way." Arjuna spoke while looking at his sword. He was eager. "We start with towns and villages and prevent the capital from ever getting reinforcements from them. That way we will emerge victorious and get back the Totem of the Mother." Arjuna breathed in the air of the Valley of the Tombs. "Our names will go down in history, we will be hailed as heroes, till the end of time every race will know that we defeated Thundera once and for all!" Arjuna then stood up and held his sword aloft. That sword had at one point fallen into the hands of the Duelist. By the time of the fall of Thundera, it had been returned to Arjuna's descendants. "Get the spearmen, the archers, the mounted warriors, the swordsman, the catapults, the siege towers! Antaboga will lead us to victory!" There was clapping from many and cheering from many more.

It was decided. The Evabon were going to war against Thundera for a second time. It would become this second war that would be best remembered by all of Third Earth!


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome back everyone. We're going to skip ten years just so we can get to the battles at Thundera. Trust me, it's a good call. Also for the Evabon, think an accent that is one third Norse, one third Japanese and one third Mongolian. Enjoy and review.**

**March on Thundera**

In ten years, the army of Evabon one thousand strong had made their way to the capital of Thundera. From the wall, many Thunderans watched the army approach. The army stopped and Antaboga walked forward. Waiting at the gates was Starlion, Claudus and Jaga. Antaboga began speaking in the Evabon language since he did not know the trade language. Starlion and Claudus did not need to know what Antaboga was saying. From the amount of pointing he was making and the tone of his voice Antaboga was making demands.

"He wants you to return the Totem of the Mother." Jaga's translation was brief and to the point. This caused Claudus to stare. How did Jaga know these barbarians language?

"Tell him… no, tell it that we won't give back what they had already stolen from us." Starlion's order caused Jaga to glare angrily at his king. Deciding to refer to Antaboga as "it" was not something that amused the cleric.

Jaga spoke to Antaboga in the Evabon language. To Starlion and Claudus' surprise Antaboga was agreeing. Starlion turned his head with a questioning look on his face.

"What did you say to hi- it! What did you say to it?"

"I told HIM that we will give it back to him if his champion beats ours." Jaga's answer angered Starlion. The cleric was disobeying him! Claudus walked forward smiling.

"I'll fight for Thundera! I'll show these savages why we are the masters of Third Earth!"" Begrudgingly Starlion agreed.

Antaboga left for few minutes and soon enough the leaders of the Evabon army began to draw lots. The one whose lot came out of the helmet was Maromak's. Later on the field Maromak and Claudus met. At the sight of Maromak, Claudus retreated only to be pushed back towards the Evabon by his father. Maromak was holding a spear and a shield, by his side hung a sword. Claudus was given a spear and a shield to match Maromak. The rules of combat of champion decreed that the combatants have the same weapons.

Claudus threw his spear at Maromak only to have it break against the Evabon's mighty shield. Maromak then threw his spear that went through the Thunderan shield but missing Claudus. Maromak drew his sword and charged only for it to break against Claudus' shield. Frustrated, Maromak took the shield from Claudus and pulled the spear from it. At the sight of this Claudus forgot he had a sword and ran from Maromak in fear. Claudus ran past his father and the rest of the Thunderan soldiers leaving a very angry looking Starlion as both Evabon and Thunderan began cheering that the war was over.

Furious, Starlion took a bow and arrow from an archer and loosed the arrow at Maromak. The arrow grazed Maromak and Starlion ordered his soldiers to attack the Evabon army. And with that the two armies crashed like two gigantic waves. The war was reinitiated.

Weapons clashed, Evabon struggled against Thunderan and all throughout the battle spirits of Evabon and Thunderan alike of different moralities rose to interfere. On the side of the Evabon the spirits of pure hearted Evabon and villainous Thunderan criminals and would-be traitors aided them to see Thundera fall. For the spirits of the Evabon it was to see the tyrannical Thundera fall for all the hardships they had brought upon their race. For the spirits of Thunderan criminals and traitors however it was all a need for revenge. On the side of the Thunderans were the spirits of those loyal to Thundera, past clerics, kings and soldiers wanting to see their home in life protected while the spirits of the Evabon were villains wanting to see the heroes leading the Evabon army fail.

Even the dead were joining the battle!

As the battle raged tears were shed. Tears from both sides, tears from those who had hoped the war had ended. Leona, a Princess of Thundera wept not only for the lives lost but because she was married to a coward! That would change in time. But there was a third reason.

Before the war, she had a friend who was an Evabon. Her name was Artana and even she would come to weep. They had been the best of friends but this was would make them friends no longer. Claudus would come to kill the most beloved of Artana. Heno had been pregnant and broken-hearted when her lover was called away before they could be married. Her lover was Arjuna and it would become the strange vengeance of Claudus after the "cruel" defeat of Star;ion at the hands of Arjuna on the plains on Thundera that would make Leona and Artana friends no more. Deep down, Leona knew that by the time this war was over Artana would be filled with grief over the deaths of her people. This war would kill their friendship.

This war would become one of the greatest stories ever told on Third Earth because of the blood and tears that were shed! And much of both were shed!

Poor old Ninigi witnessed his firstborn son cut down by Starlion wielding the sword of Omens. Starlion witnessed his younger brother killed by Evabon archers. Both sides had blood spilled and both had shed tears. There would be more to come!

Pantro, father of Panthro, did battle with Antaboga! The two warriors were unarmed and their fists came into contact with each other many times. Both combatants, beaten and bruised, fought until finally Antaboga, with his great strength, pinned Pantro down and ultimately smashed his face in. From then on, fifteen-year old Panthro was without a father and Pantro's death would be the reason why Panthro participated in many Evabon hunts with an intense hatred. Ultimately, Panthro let go of his hatred of the Evabon when he met Gard, but that is another story.


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome back, everyone. This will be a short chapter. Enjoy and review.**

**A Son's Funeral**

The battle had ended with both sides falling back. They had no choice, there was much wounded and the leaders of both sides needed healing. Arjuna alone was uninjured.

The leaders from both sides lived to fight another day. And so in the Evabon camp, Ninigi's firstborn son was given a funeral.

Upon a funeral pyre lied the body. In armor with his sword upon his chest, Ninigi's looked upon his son as he lit the pyre. A family member had to light the pyre. That was how it was, that was how it had always been this was how it would always be.

Ninigi walked away after that. He would not be partaking in the funeral games. Let others take part but not him!


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome back, everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**The Funeral Games**

While Ninigi did not participate in the funeral games, others did. Some Thunderans had even shown up: jaguars, lynxs, pumas, cheetahs, panthers, wild cats, saber-tooths, they all showed up. While true things wouldn't turn out well for them when Starlion heard of this, they came to honor a fallen enemy. In truth the Evabon would have done the exact same!

While Arjuna and Antaboga had a spear-throwing match, Jaga spoke with Maromak. Maromak was could speak the trade language fluently, something that Antaboga could not even do.

"You can't blame Starlion, he never accepts defeat." Jaga's comment caused Maromak to shake his head.

"Blame him for what? I almost admire him for never giving up." Maromak watched as his older brother threw his spear. "All I want is for this war to be over so I can see my son. I haven't seen him seen he was a baby. Perhaps, combat by champion will work again?"

"Who do you have in mind?" Jaga's question was answered when Maromak pointed at Amma throwing a mast from a ship. The cleric's eyes widened in shock! "Him?" Maromak nodded.

Now that only raised the question of if anyone from Thundera would accept.


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome back, everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**The Court of Thundera**

While the funeral games were happening, Starlion sat in his throne. With angry thoughts he looked at the empty court. Why were there Thunderans at the funeral games? Had Evabon not killed sons, fathers, husbands, brothers and uncles? Why did the Thunderans pay respect to a fallen enemy? It made no sense!

These barbaric savages intended to fight for the Totem of the Mother. Why? Had the Thunderans not made it? Did the Evabon not steal it? Did the Thunderans not steal it back?

Then there was fact that the Totem of the Mother had many figures that were in the likeness of Evabon on it. The Evabon must have done something to the Totem to make it seem like they were the ones who made it!

Starlion then heard footsteps. He turned his head to see his wife Nefertiri. The king stared as the queen held aloft the Sword of Omens.

"Do you hear laughter, Starlion?"

"Laughter?"

"It is the laughter of kings past! It is the laughter of kings to come! It is the laughter of your people! It is the laughter of your people who are with the barbarians this very night! They are all laughing at you because you let savages lay siege to the jewel of Third Earth. You are lower than the Evabon are." At that moment, Starlion took the Sword of Omens from Nefertiri.

Starlion left the court. He had work to do!


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**Amma and Claudus**

When Starlion had come into the Evabon camp, with soldiers behind him Maromak instantly proposed the duel between Amma and Starlion's son Claudus. Dumbfounded, Starlion stared while and outraged Arjuna came forward. Twice he would not be champion even though he was invulnerable. It was not fair. Angrily, Arjuna swore that he would not fight anymore unless he was chosen as champion, he would stay in the camp in his tent.

"Ah, so I am robbed of slaying you and your lover!" Starlion turned his head to look at Arjuna's cousin Pangu. Angrily, Arjuna cursed.

"Blasphemous abomination you are eternally damned for the theft of the mother and you will die alone turned on by your people!" And with that Arjuna left for his tent.

The next day, Amma and Claudus both met on the field. Armed with cestus the two fought. All day long the two fought, with neither combatant showing any signs of giving up.

Finally, the day came to an end. A draw was declared and words were exchanged. Some were kind and some unkind.

Amma had embraced Claudus and lifted him off of the ground. "Claudus Starlionson you are as good a fighter as Gard!" To an Evabon such a comment was an honor. To someone like a Thunderan it was an insult.

"And you are as good a fighter as a lizard!" Claudus' insult caused Amma to laugh. Deeply and loudly he laughed. Claudus was confused and hated this barbarian for embracing him. This was his enemy he was his enemy! Amma should not have been hugging him! It was outrageous!

Why was Amma laughing though? He was laughing because Amma had always lost against lizards. Claudus saying that he fought like one was saying that Amma was as good as one.

This was hardly the end of the war. There had been no victor and so the war would continue to its bloody end.


	9. Chapter 9

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**The Carnage of the Next Morning**

The next morning, the carnage continued. Warriors from both races clashed. Amma, armed with a sword like many of the Evabon warriors had cleaved heads from bodies! Antaboga had beaten many a Thunderan with his fists and his brother Maromak had shown just how good a second born son could be.

But with Arjuna refusing to fight until he was given an apology for not being chosen as champion the Evabon were eventually pushed back. The only things that kept the Thuderans away from the camp were the archers and artillery.

During the battle, the leader of the clerics who was even older than Jaga was slain. His names had been Diomedes and it was only by going to far ahead of his clerics that Diomedes was killed.

He had walked into a trap and had been killed by multiple warriors. Many times their blades entered his body until he had become a fountain of red blood. When the Thunderans had found Diomedes' body, he was barely identifiable.

As for the slain Evabon, their bodies were hung from the battlements of Thundera for all to see. Among the dead were quite a few of the name of Balor, which at the time had been a common name.

There would be more carnage. That there would.


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**Prayers**

In the Evabon camp was a shaman. This shaman was named Bleda, he was very old probably old enough to remember when the great warrior from whom Gard had strangled two serpents in his cradle. Bleda's skin was grey but there were many white parts on his skin. His wrinkled forehead was white and so was his back, the rest of his body were stripes and patchwork of white and grey.

Today, Bleda stood far from the camp. He was on the top of a mountain. The reason for this was that if an Evabon wanted to speak to the Celestials they would go to the top of a mountain. If an Evabon wanted to speak to the Eternals they would go to an extinct volcano that is frozen.

It was the Celestials Bleda intended to speak to. With arms raised to the sky as if he was trying to touch the sun, Bleda, old shaman older even than Gard and Procyon, stood there to ask the Celestials for help.

"Celestials! Here me! I come to you for your aid! A great sacrilege has been committed! The House of Leo has stolen the Totem of the Mother that is sacred to us! Send down a bolt to kill Starlion and let us go home. If not then send down a lure to attract game so we can still feed, when the winter comes we will not be able to forage, if not strike down Starlion then provide us with food! Or send down four sentinels to protect our camp so we will always be safe and that we will have a chance to break down the walls of Thundera while they will never be able to burn down our tents. If not that then let us be given a way to make peace and never more will we be viewed by the world as war-like barbarians. Please, I have other suggestions! Heal all our wounded, bring a pestilence upon Thundera, make our weapons and armor unbreakable, show us an underground passage into Thundera, turn those who fight against us into squealing game, bring a lightning storm onto Thundera so they know our fury, give us plenty of supplies to last for eternity while the Thunderans go hungry, cause an earthquake to destroy Thundera and everyone inside it but leave the Totem of the Mother untouched just aid us! This war we fight will be talked about until the time after the end of time, our names will be remembered long after the ashes of those who have died here are gone just let us have victory to avenge this sacrilege, give us back the Totem. There are many with children, grand children wives…. All I have ever loved I have outlived just send those with families home, give us victory with no losses on our side. Allow me to walk through the streets of Thundera and eat in their gardens, be it as a victor or a privileged prisoner, or as one that is dying I don't care for myself just for the others. I am old and confused that I'm not sure what I want anymore to the point I contradict myself sometimes. I was old when Balor, the first hero, was an infant… to live in bones so old is such a burden, I know fact from fiction, the men from the myths… Yes, I now know what it is I truly want… when this war is over… let me finally die… to live since the first generation of Evabon is far too long to live."

In Thundera, a young cleric named Priam stood in a temple before the gods. Statues, idols these were things that were not real. Priam keeled before the statues with evil thoughts.

"Deconstruct their siege weapons! Barbarians should not be able to build such things! Drive them into the forest with the beasts where they belong! Scatter the savages so we might pick them off one by one send them to the lair of Spidera where they might die a horrible death. There is much valor among us, let the Evabon die by the vines of plants, or let there be a traitor amongst them so we might be able to defeat these things more easily. This war is causing much chaos, a tree has grown in land that is not fertile, the earth beneath a town had crumbled away, Lizards have found their way into Thundera the city itself, a gate of Mumm-Ra has appeared in our gardens! Destroy the Evabon! Destroy their entire misbegotten race!"

But the gods did not answer. There were no gods. Priam was just a fool that did not know what was real and what was not, what was the truth and what was false, he was like many others.


	11. Chapter 11

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**In His Armor**

While a battle raged during midday, Arjuna and Pangu sat in a tent. Pangu was looking at Arjuna's sword. How idle he felt! How Arjuna could stand this made Pangu wonder if his elder cousin by a year was made of stronger stuff. Arjuna just sat on a bed of blankets reading a Thunderan epic that he had taken as a war prize.

The epic told of a happier time. It told of when Thunderan and Evabon were not enemies and the friendship of a Thunderan prince with an Evabon youth.

Arjuna wasn't too particular. All he needed was something to pass the time.

The elder cousin looked over at the younger cousin. Pangu might have been more skilled a warrior but he was impatient. This was the complete opposite of Arjuna who was the elder cousin, less skilled but still very skilled, invulnerable but very patient.

"If you wish to fight then take my sword, shield armor and mount." Arjuna's comment caused Pangu to turn and look incredulously. "Let them think you are me. Let them think that I have returned. Let the Thunderans flee in terror at the sight of you." Instantly Pangu put on Arjuna's armor. "If you die in battle, I will not avenge you or mourn you. You will have died a warrior's death and that's all that matters."

With that Pangu left in armor, helmet upon head with sword and shield and mounted Arjuna's mount. The mounts of the Evabon were not like the mounts of the Thunderans. They resembled grey-skinned demon salamanders with tube-like ears and the teeth of crocodiles.

Arjuna's mount was big and ready to run. Pangu mounted the beast and left the camp.


	12. Chapter 12

**Welcome back everyone. This will be darker than any of my previous chapters. Enjoy and review.**

**The Death of Pangu**

Pangu rode out onto the field and indeed the Thunderans ran in terror. Antaboga and many of the other Evabon leaders believed that Pangu was Arjuna just as the Thunderans did.

The Thunderans that did stand and fight were quickly killed. Only Starlion stood a chance. Through a lucky chance the King of Thundera slashed Pangu's throat but still the Evabon lived.

Pangu's mount reared up and hit Starlion in the head with its front hooves. Stunned by this, Pangu was given a chance to hit Starlion. Arjuna's sword hit the Sword of Omens and a small crack appeared on the blade itself!

Starlion stared at the sword in his opponent's hand. He would have that sword! Starlion then hit the Sword of Omens against the armor, shield and helmet. They didn't even break against the Sword of Omens. The sword, helmet, shield, armor Starlion wanted it all for himself! This must have been the secret of Arjuna's invulnerability!

Ultimately, the Sword of Omens pierced the chest of the armor. Starlion gasped in shock. He needed that armor! He could have it repaired but still he needed it!

Pangu fell onto his back and Starlion knew that this was an impostor he had fought as soon as the helmet fell from the Evabon's head.

The moment Pangu died everyone stopped what they were doing and stared in shock. Instantly, a fight broke out over Pangu's body. The Evabon fought to bring the body back to creamte it, while the Thunderans fought to hang it from their battlements and Starlion wanted the armor and weaponry.


	13. Chapter 13

**Welcome back everyone. There is finally a new chapter of Outcast of the Evabon on Fictionpress. Enjoy and review.**

**Vengeance**

When Pangu's body was brought into the Evabon camp, Arjuna was waiting. Although Arjuna said that he would not mourn his cousin, he had been lying. When Arjuna saw his cousin's body, throat slashed and with a mark of impalement upon the chest, Arjuna was overcome with both great rage and great grief.

Pangu's body had been stripped of armor and the wounds were continuing to pour black Evabon blood like a fountain! Pangu's heart might have stopped but the blood hadn't.

"Who has done this?" Arjuna's voice was filled with both the rage and grief that filled his heart. Many of the other Evabon were silent. It was Antaboga alone, leader of this campaign, who spoke.

"It was Starlion who did this! He thought… we all thought Pangu was you!" Antaboga kneeled and closed the still open eyes of Pangu something that should have been done the moment the body had been recovered if they had not been fighting over it with the Thunderans. "He has your armor, shield, sword all!"

"Where is my mount? Where is Amphitryon?" Arjuna's question was an easier, happier one to answer.

Antaboga smiled gently. "He lives." The smile then vanished. "But he has escaped into the wilderness."

Arjuna walked past everyone. He would bring back Amphitryon!

Then out of nowhere appeared his mother, the green skinned shaman Titania. "Do not seek Amphitryon, my son!" By tonight he shall have been returned and by tomorrow morning you shall have new armor and weaponry to take your vengeance upon Starlion!" And with that Titania vanished as quickly as she had come.

Angered by the thought of his vengeance having to wait, Arjuna took the wheel from a broken catapult and hurled it out of the camp towards Thundera. He then stormed back into his tent to hide the tears coming from his eyes.

Deep in the heart of the wilderness sat Gard. How was he supposed to find an Evabon mount? They weren't the kind of creature to come into a place like this. Being enlisted by a shaman to find her son's mount was strange. The strangest thing was that he didn't even want to and yet there he was sitting in thought of how find one. Amphitryon the mount's name was and he was most likely running around the wilderness in a panic.

Sure enough Gard heard Amphitryon.

Looking down from the tree he was in Gard saw the mount.

He jumped down and landed on Amphitryon's back. Before the beast could start to buck, Gard whispered something into Amphitryon's ear whom then turned to face the setting sun. Fear left the mount of Arjuna. No more would he see the shadow that had scared him so as the sun set. Amphitryon would be returned soon.


	14. Chapter 14

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**The Art of Sculpture**

Far away in the mountains lived a shaman and a blacksmith. These two were one and the same. His name was Hepcan, a master of fire, metalworking, stone masonry and the art of sculpture. His was red skinned and perhaps the only Evabon treated with respect by all races.

Hepcan was known for making beautiful works of art but always people came to him to make weapons and armor for war. This brought much sadness to the red Evabon. He was a neutral person and always one who would never object.

Then came Titania and he stopped working on his most recent sculpture. Hepcan stared with his emotionless eyes. Why had she come?

"Hepcan, I have come to you to have new armor and weapons made for my son." Hepcan nodded and slowly made his way over to his forge. Titania watched as the lame blacksmith began his work. "Have you nothing to say? His previous armor you made for his father, my husband. Do you not wonder what happened to Arjuna's previous armor?"

Hepcan didn't say anything. He didn't nod, he didn't shake his head he was just focusing on his work.

He worked quickly and soon the armor, sword and shield were finished. Hepcan looked at his work and there was no pride in his eyes. More death, death was a part of life but it shouldn't have been like this. An ugly thing like him made things of beauty but people came to him to make things of war… there was no beauty in war, just ugly things like him. He was old, ugly, lame no woman would have him. His own parents had despised him, so had the woman he loved. Hepcan had no family!

"What will you do when Arjuna is dead?" Hepcan turned to look at Titania. "Send his son into the war? Would you really send young Nirget into the maws of death itself?"

"Hepcan, I tried to prevent my son but I will not prevent my grandson from joining the war." Titania placed a hand on the breastplate. "Arjuna will not die, he is invulnerable." Hepcan merely looked down at the ground. There would be a death and it would be Arjuna's.


	15. Chapter 15

**Welcome back everyone. You'll find this chapter to be something. Enjoy and review.**

**Cruel Defeat and Strange Vengeance**

When Arjuna awoke, he found Amphitryon and new armor waiting for him. Within moments he had his armor on and had mounted Amphitryon. Amphitryon made a chirping sound that said he was happy to be with his rider again. Arjuna gave Amphitryon a pat on the neck and then rode out of the Evabon camp.

Foolishly, many Thunderans tried to stand and fight. Those who didn't flee met a grisly death. Ultimately, Arjuna came to the gates of Thundera where only one warrior stood. It was Starlion wearing the armor and wielding the sword and shield taken from Pangu.

Arjuna did not dismount. He sheathed his sword and removed his helmet. Upon seeing the Evabon's face Starlion gasped.

"You!"

"The same!" There was a hint of vengeful glee upon Arjuna's face. Those upon the wall could see it. "Remove your helmet, demon's slave! All of Thundera will know it is I who killed you and Evabon all shall know it was you that I killed." Starlion did so.

"Death by my hands is an honor, Arjuna." Starlion's boast brought a rolling of eyes from Arjuna.

"There is no honor in being killed by a demon's slave."

Arjuna rode forward and his sword met the shield of Starlion, the shield that had been his own. Again Evabon sword met Evabon shield, a sword wielded by an Evabon against a shield held by a Thunderan. Then the swords clashed, like two waves! This continued for a while until Arjuna used his shield to break Starlion's sword. Now, Starlion was not using the Sword of Omens but rather the sword Pangu had been wielding. Upon seeing the sword break the Evabon warriors cheered while the Thunderans on the wall: men, women, children all shuddered in fear. Then Starlion copied Arjuna and both were without sword. Then Amphitryon rose up and proceeded to hit Starlion with his front legs. The Thunderan King fell and he sat there looking up at the Invulnerable Evabon.

"Stand up, demon's slave!" roared Arjuna. "Face me!"

Arjuna leapt from Amphitryon's back and threw his shield aside. Many times the fists of that might Evabon hit the shield the Thunderan cowered behind. Finally, Arjuna broke the shield and Starlion's left shoulder. Then he broke Starlion's neck.

So died a king.

Arjuna walked to his mount and took a length of rope from Amphitryon's saddlebag. He tied one end of the rope to the saddle and the other end around Starlion's ankles. Arjuna mounted Amphitryon, looked up at the Evabon hanging from the battlements and then rode away, dragging Starlion's body along.

Upon the wall of Thundera was Claudus. Seeing his father slain and now being dragged away, the former prince took a bow and arrow from an archer and loosed it. The arrow flew down and entered the right hind foot of Amphitryon.

Amphitryon fell down and broke his knees. Arjuna flew through the air and finally hit the ground. Although wearing armor, Arjuna's neck was exposed and so the warrior landed on his neck, breaking it.

The snap of his neck was so loud that even those up on the wall heard it. Everyone on both sides were shocked that the invulnerable warrior had been killed but within moments, the two sides were once more fighting over a body.

The great Amma beat the Thunderans back and eventually came to blows with Claudus wielding the Sword of Omens. Amma single handedly held back the Thunderan legion until Arjuna's body had been carried back to the camp. Just not was Arjuna's body returned to camp but Amphitryon and returned and brought Starlion's body along.

There had been two deaths today.


	16. Chapter 16

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**The Funeral of Starlion**

When the Evabon returned to their camp, they began work on creating a great funeral pyre for Arjuna and Pangu. Starlion would get no such honor. Just like how the slain Evabon were hung from the battlements, Starlion's body was hung from the wall of the Evabon camp.

That night, funeral games were held but the Thunderans dared not venture out of their city. Amma was not happy with the outcome of the games. The second mightiest of the Evabon warriors believed that he should receive the armor and weapons of Arjuna since Amma was now the mightiest of the warriors. When Obatala instead suggested that the armor and weapons be sent to Arjuna's son and this suggestion agreed with, Amma left the camp.

He ran, walked, jumped climbed until he finally came to his destination. He came to a set of cliffs overlooking a sea and so Amma took up his sword and brought it forward. The sword stuck into his stomach like a thorn in one's side and so it came to be that Amma's body fell into the ocean and carried away by the waves.

As for Antaboga, he stood before the body of Starlion. He stared with half-critical, half-sympathetic eyes. The leader of the opposing side was dead. Surely, Thundera would surrender and return the Totem of the Mother.

"Treacherous Antaboga" Antaboga turned and there was standing Jaga speaking the language of the Evabon. "That is what they call you even though it was Starlion who broke the agreement."

"If you've come to bring back his body you are welcome to it." Antaboga pointed at Starlion's hanging form. "This thief offends us all… We do not like war but it is something that we cannot escape. Peace and love, hate and war these are things that the world needs. One can't exist without the other."

"Are all of your race as fantastic philosophers are you are? It is something that I do not come across that often when I speak with Evabon."

"No, Cleric… Claudus will not surrender the Totem of the Mother will he?" Jaga sighed and Antaboga got his answer. "Even if we return his father's body he will not?"

"Claudus has much of his father in him, Antaboga."

"I fear for the bloodline then." Antaboga turned and stared at the cleric. "Take his body, this is a night for mourning. Let both sides mourn."

And so that night Starlion's funeral was held. Thundera mourned with their new king as their old burned upon a pyre.

The war was nearing its end.


	17. Chapter 17

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**One Last Plan**

Obatala stood before the other surviving leaders. He had a plan and this plan would work! Antaboga was lying on the ground while Maromak was hiding under a blanket in shame.

"We've lost. Arjuna is dead. The greatest warrior in all the world is dead and we shall never reclaim the Totem of the Mother." Antaboga stared at the sky. Was failure all that was left for him?

"Not yet, Chieftain of Chieftains!" Obatala held up a hand. "There is always surrender!"

Maromak poked his head out from under the blanket. "Uh, the Gardites will become the laughing stock of all Evabondom!" And with that, like a turtle in a shell, Maromak retreated back under the blanket.

"No, no, listen! When Evabon fight Evabon what does the leader of one force do when they want to surrender?"

Antaboga sat up and looked at the younger Evabon from a far away island. "Obatala, if you're suggesting I give the Thunderans my mount I must remind you that one requires a mount to do that."

"Not you, Antaboga, all of us." At this Maromak poked his head out from the blanket. Even Antaboga leaned in with intrigue.

"You mean that great wooden monstrosity you and your men have been building out in the woodland?" Maromak's question was answered with a nod from Obatala.

This war wouldn't be won through force. It would be won through cunning! This would be the greatest trick Third Earth had ever known.


	18. Chapter 18

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**The Thunderan Mount**

The next morning, Thundera awoke to find the Evabon gone and a giant wooden mount where the Evabon camp had been. All of the Thunderan court went out to see it. It was colossal and beautiful! When Evabon made works of art they were beautiful, when they made weapons or armor they were ugly and this thing was truly a work of art! It was made from a bamboo like plant causing it to be brightly colored and would fit in well among the shining city of Thundera.

"Finally they realize themselves unable to win." The young cleric Priam looked up with unbridled joy at the mount. "And such a pity I would have enjoyed seeing all their warriors hanging from the wall."

Jaga hit the younger cleric over the head with his staff. "Show some respect, Priam." Jaga knew the Evabon to be good people. They weren't perfect and neither were the Thunderans, neither side was. "They might seem barbaric and savage but they have been able to do great things. There had been a time when the Evabon were masters of Third Earth. You can tell by some of the ruins, tombs, swords and armor that farmers find… there are some still clinging to that bygone age… it only causes me to wonder how long our society will be the masters."

"Why Jaga have we not learned today?" Claudus pointed at the giant mount. "We have faced one of our predecessors and emerged victorious! The Evabon built this to signify their defeat and have gone to be like those we all rule over!" There was much pride in Claudus' voice. "Thundera will last till the end of time."

"Beware Evabon bearing gifts." One of the soldiers, Lynx-O, stared at the mount. He feared it, this warrior in his mid-thirties. If an Evabon had caused him go blind in his right eye by merely winking then they must have become one and turned into this wooden monstrosity!

Claudus turned to look at Lynx-O. "Don't be a fool!" He then walked over to the mount and placed a hand on one of its tree trunk-like legs. "We will bring this into Thundera! It is a symbol of our victory over the Evabon and as long as this is in the city Thundera will never fall!"

Jaga and Lynx-O both stared at one another. Claudus had gone mad with pride!


	19. Chapter 19

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**Celebration of Victory**

The Thunderan Mount was brought into Thundera. The populace cheered and threw flowers at it. Ten years of war was over, they could live in times of peace once again.

It was placed before the Thunderan palace and a day of celebration was declared. There would be no celebration tomorrow.

Far atop a mountain in the wilderness stood Gard. From there he could see Thundera and as he watched with his keen eye and grin appeared on his face.

His enemies, all of Thundera were being fools! They had let in their doom through the front door.

When some lied dead and the Totem of the Mother once more in Evabon eyes… great pain would befall his people. Things like this had happened before. Things like this would keep happening. He didn't see anything changing.


	20. Chapter 20

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**Reclaiming the Totem**

Night had fallen and from the Thunderan Mount emerged Evabon. Antaboga, Maromak, Ninigi, all were the leaders of the Evabon army. All were armed with swords but for Antaboga who fought with only his bare hands!

Thundera had fallen into a drunken stupor. It was like there had been an orgy, something that Evabon frowned upon.

Stealthily, they crept through the streets to the palace. Upon seeing guards at the gate of the palace, they took an alternative route. They jumped over the wall.

The abilities of the Evabon besides being able to jump great heights also included heightened senses but these have been known to work against Evabon and not just aid them. They also had great strength and speed but still that could not save an Evabon from death. Stories were told of an Evabon so strong that he had held up a collapsing cave roof long enough for help to come only to have died and still stay in that position, as for speed those who focused too much on speed were apt to become arrogant and less likely to watch where they were going. This time all that was needed was the ability to jump great heights.

Loudly, Daksha hit the ground. He was good at jumping but landing was another matter.

They all looked over to where the guards stood. There was one guard and he didn't seem to notice.

"Marvelous." Commented Obatala with a whisper. "Give the post to a deaf person."

They all crept into the palace and there was the Totem of the Mother in the throne room. Daksha and Ninigi were the ones to carry it and so they had to go out through the gate.

Without a warning they knocked out the deaf guard. Soon they were out of Thundera and the warriors were cutting down the bodies of their comrades from the wall.

They had to be quick! Dawn would come early! When the nobles found the Totem missing they would know they had been tricked. They would know the Evabon had the Totem of the Mother once more!

This would be a victory for Evabon cunning! This would be a victory that would happen again being used by lizards and a traitor but with more disastrous results in the future.


	21. Chapter 21

**Welcome back everyone. You know I've been writing a lot of ThunderCats fan fics and they've al been dark. It's affected me. I've grown tired of all of them being dark, always writing dark and heavy stuff. So when I get to the next one it will be lighter and with Zuvowang as the protagonist and Tass as the antagonist. But I'll have to finish this story first! Uh, three chapters left then I can write something for everyone! Enjoy and review.**

**Venomous Words**

The next morning, when it was discovered that the Totem of the Mother was gone, the nobles were in a rage. Claudus was the most enraged of all. However there was one cat who stood near Claudus with tricky thoughts.

He was the young Baron Tass, a vile opportunist who only wanted things to benefit him. What he currently wanted were Evabon slaves! He had grown bored with lizard slaves and felt some Evabon slaves would liven things up a bit! He'd have them fight each other for his entertainment while the lizards attended on him hand and foot!

"We must have vengeance for this trick, O King!" Tass whispered his voice warm like honey in the young king's ear.

"Vengeance?"

"Yes, vengeance for the monsters having made fools of us!"

"Monsters? Fools?"

"Yes, the Evabon are monsters and they have turned us into fools! We must have vengeance for this mockery!" Tass' words, like a serpent's venom, were becoming planted into Claudus' head. It was better that Tass manipulated Claudus while he was young before the king became wise with age. If he didn't then the baron would not get what he wanted, and he always got what he wanted… always!

"What do you recommend, Tass?"

"Drive them out, burn down every Evabon settlement in Thundera, make them slaves to our greatness, hunt them like wild beasts but mostly take them as slaves."

"Yes, yes!" Claudus rose from his throne and stood before the nobles. "The Evabon have emerged victorious this day but in the long run it is us that will be the victors! We'll drive out these monsters, burn down their dens, hunt them, make them serve us, all that have died in this war will be avenged!"

There were cheers from the nobles. There were two who did not cheer however. One was Jaga, the other Tass. Jaga did not cheer because he did not approve of this. Tass did not cheer because he was too busy smiling triumphantly.

Tass would be getting what he wanted. He always did!


	22. Chapter 22

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**Niro**

Niro, who would become stepfather to Maromak's grandson Balor, had only been a small boy of five when he and the people of his village were driven out of Thundera. Indeed Niro had been very young and came to think of Thunderans as monsters for what they had done. It seemed only natural that some members of the two races would see each other the same way on a prejudiced scale.

Indeed when the soldiers from Thundera were seen coming, Niro and many others thought they were after some lizards. How wrong they were.

The buildings were burned, many of the Evabon were killed and many more were taken as slaves. Niro and a small number escaped and met up with those who had escaped other massacres.

True, during the war the Evabon had attacked every Thunderan town they came across but that was justified! Had they not then Thundera would have had more supplies than the Evabon and thus would have won the war. This was no war strategy this was cold vengeance for the Thunderans having lost the war.

Eventually, Niro and all the others came to a place far from Thundera. It was a peaceful place where no one would harm them.

At first it was peaceful and life was happy, but every now and again tragedy would strike. Niro died after a long illness and by that time he had a son in his teens and a small stepson. Niro's death would just end up being the first in a line of tragedies to befall the community.


	23. Chapter 23

**Welcome back everyone. Here is probably the biggest plot twist I've eve come up with for one of my stories. Enjoy and review.**

**Fact and Fiction**

When the war was recorded, there was much difference from what had actually happened. The truth is almost as great as the fiction. For the story that has unfolded was how the neutral Nomis told it.

Arjuna's death in reality was from an arrow to the heel. As arrows were loosed at him they seemed to bounce away as if from a divine shield as the Thunderans believed. After receiving the injury, Arjuna fell from Amphitryon and his head hit a stone and so he died. The Evabon portrayed him as having died while single handedly storming Thundera until he was killed by Claudus like what actually happened. Perhaps what is the strangest is that the Evabon portray Arjuna as having outlived Starlion by a week. His death was even portrayed differently, with Claudus' arrow hitting Arjuna's heel, an injury which immediately killed him, As for the Thunderans, they portrayed Arjuna as sympathetically as the Evabon, once again outliving Starlion and died during the sacking of Thundera after fighting against Claudus. Arjuna was portrayed as having been in the Thunderan Mount with the Evabon leaders. Arjuna and Claudus did battle in the courtyard of the palace and Claudus, like always pierced Arjuna's heel, and then proceeded to plunge the Sword of Omens into Arjuna's chest three times. The Thunderan's version of the story then shows Arjuna's funeral as having been public in Thundera and the Thunderan's treated him as if he had been one of them. While in fact Arjuna's funeral had been at the Evabon camp, this just showed how much respect the Thunderans had for Arjuna to the point that great tragedies were written about Arjuna with Arjuna as the protagonist and not the antagonist by Thunderan playwrights. He had been a worthy opponent and they honored him to the point that Arjuna was always given a monologue as he died that lasted for a whole page!

Antaboga however was not treated as well as Arjuna by either side. While true he was arrogant, the Evabon made him no different than Starlion. He was so arrogant to the point that they portrayed him as having been killed by his own wife at Thundera after the victory, something that did not happen until Antaboga returned home. However, the Evabon portrayed Antaboga as a complex tragic villain in contrast to how the Thunderans portrayed him. The Thunderans portrayed Antaboga as a villain but more like one from a children's story and was portrayed as having been stabbed in the back by Leona during the sacking of Thundera. Truly, Antaboga had not been treated as kindly as Arjuna.

As for Starlion, he was far more sympathetic in reality, in the Evabon's portrayal who viewed him as the Thunderans had viewed Arjuna as well as in the Thunderan's portrayal. In reality and both portrayals of history, Starlion's body had been dragged all the way to the Evabon camp but eventually returned.

There is much to remember. There is how it happened. Then there is how it didn't. Many things that Maromak had told truthfully to his grandson Balor, telling the boy how the war had been instead of how it was portrayed.


	24. Chapter 24

**Welcome back everyone. On Sunday I'll begin my next story "Gladiator." No, it has nothing to do with the Scott movie I just like a good gladiator story and want to write one. Enjoy and review.**

**Skeletons**

Years passed and the ten year war became the stuff of legend: one of four fates of Evabon after death. Some Evabon who died were honored, some were mourned, some were cursed and then there were those that became the stuff of legend. Arjuna, Antaboga and Obatala had become legendary figures to all of Third Earth, described as Half-Giant like heroes or villains.

Not all was well however. The deaths caused by all of the Evabon settlements being sacked meant that many skeletons were always being discovered and sometimes even rediscovered.

When Cheetara had been a child and was on her way to Thundera to become a cleric she came across an Evabon skeleton covered by tree roots. At the sight of this, young Cheetara was frightened by it.

The tree roots where coming out of the ribs, the mouth the eye sockets how demonic it looked! Indeed Cheetara believed it to be the remains of some great ogre! This was not the skeleton of an ogre but an Evabon! Not of a warrior from some great warrior but from the victim of a massacre.

When Cheetara was older, she mourned this unknown Evabon when she knew Evabon good, evil and all in between. It was sad that this person be forgotten and that their remains be trapped like that.

It was tragic, even more so since it could not be freed from the roots. Even when burned with fire the tree would not release the skeleton. That skeleton would remain trapped for all eternity. And so it came to be that some would salute it when passing in later years after Mumm-Ra's death.

Such was the fate for this person.

**The End**


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